Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DARK LOVELY FRUIT, by HELEN BRYANT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DARK LOVELY FRUIT, by                    
First Line: Black girl, standing in your yellow dress
Last Line: Heart of your storm?
Subject(s): African Americans; Barns; Girls; Negroes; American Blacks


Black girl, standing in your yellow dress,
Beside the frost-gray North American barn,
Your skin is purple-black as grapes,
Your dress is pale as winter wheat,
And there are purple storm-clouds over you,
Riven with the lightning, wheat-yellow lightning.
O strayed vine, O dark and lovely fruit,
What are you doing by the North American barn?
The tendrils of your laughter climb in vain this alien quarter,
And who sees the swift immortal brightness,
The lightning, wheat-yellow lightning
Heart of your storm?





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